Dwight Muhammad Qawi
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| Dwight Muhammad Qawi | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | Camden Buzzsaw |
| Rated at | Light heavyweight Cruiserweight Heavyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Reach | 71 in (180 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | Dwight Braxton January 5, 1953 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 53 |
| Wins | 41 |
| Wins by KO | 25 |
| Losses | 11 |
| Draws | 1 |
Dwight Muhammad Qawi (born Dwight Braxton; January 5, 1953) is an American former professional boxer who won world titles at light heavyweight and cruiserweight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.[1]
Contents
Background
Qawi, then known as Dwight Braxton, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up in Camden, New Jersey, where he got involved with crime at a young age. He was eventually convicted of armed robbery and spent around five years in prison.[2]
It was at Rahway that Braxton found his place in life. The prison had an extensive boxing program and one of its inmates, James Scott, was a light heavyweight title contender who fought several times inside the prison itself. Braxton took up the sport, and when he was released from prison in 1978, immediately became a professional boxer. Qawi's style was most often likened to Joe Frazier and with good reason as he had trained in Fraziers Philadelphia gym as a professional. He converted to Islam in the early 80's and had his name changed from Dwight Braxton to Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
Professional career
He went 1-1-1 in his first three pro fights, but then reeled off 14 straight victories to move into the world rankings at light heavyweight. The last of those wins came on September 5, 1981, when Braxton returned to Rahway to fight Scott, with the winner promised a shot at Matthew Saad Muhammad's WBC world championship belt. Braxton won a unanimous 10-round decision.
On December 19 of the same year, Braxton faced Saad Muhammad in Atlantic City. The ex-convict was the underdog against Saad, one of the most popular fighters of his generation and a fellow Hall of Famer, but Braxton defeated him on a 10th-round technical knockout and became a world champion for the first time.[3] It was shortly after this that he announced his conversion to Islam and changed his name.
He defended the title three times in the next 15 months, knocking out Jerry Martin, Saad Muhammad a second time and Eddie Davis. On March 18, 1983, he lost a close but unanimous decision to WBA champion Michael Spinks in a unification bout.
Qawi felt that making the division's 175-pound weight limit had drained him physically, and resolved to seek another world title in the newly created cruiserweight division. Freed of the need to fight to keep his weight down, Qawi reeled off another series of wins and claimed the WBA cruiserweight title on July 7, 1985, knocking out Piet Crous in Crous' native South Africa.
He won two more fights, including a victory over former world heavyweight titlist Leon Spinks, before accepting a challenge from Olympian Evander Holyfield on July 12, 1986. The fight, in Holyfield's hometown of Atlanta, went the full 15 rounds with Holyfield winning a split decision.
After the loss to Holyfield, Qawi fought off and on for the next 12 years, but never regained a world title. He rematched with Holyfield in 1987 for the WBA and IBF cruiserweight titles, but was stopped in the fourth round.
After a short stint in the heavyweight ranks, where in 1988 he lost to George Foreman by knockout in seven rounds, being forced to quit from exhaustion, he tried to regain the cruiserweight title. On November 27, 1989, he dropped a split decision to Robert Daniels for Holyfield's vacated WBA title.
Qawi retired in 1999 at the age of 46, with a career record of 41 wins, 11 losses and one draw, with 25 wins by way of knockout. Currently, he works as a boxing trainer in New Jersey.
In 1998, Dwight began working at the Lighthouse, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Mays Landing, NJ. He works with both adults and adolescents and is a patient advocate.[4]
Professional boxing record
| 41 Wins (25 KOs), 11 Losses, 1 Draw [1] | |||||||
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 41-11-1 |  Tony LaRosa |
UD | 8 | 25 Nov 1998 | Ramada Inn, Rosemont, Illinois, United States |
|
| Win | 41-10-1 | Tyrone Demby |
TKO | 2 (?) | 27 Jun 1997 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 40-10-1 | Earl Clark |
UD | 6 | 8 May 1997 | Boys and Girls Club, Paterson, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Loss | 39-10-1 | Nate Miller |
UD | 10 | 13 Oct 1992 | Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|
| Win | 39-9-1 |  Dave Fiddler |
TKO | 2 (8) | 18 Jul 1992 | Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
|
| Loss | 38-9-1 | Arthur Williams |
UD | 10 | 8 May 1992 | Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
|
| Win | 38-8-1 | Ric Lainhart |
TKO | 1 (10) | 7 Apr 1992 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 37-8-1 | Ricky Parkey |
TKO | 8 (10) | 7 Nov 1991 | District of Columbia, United States |
|
| Win | 36-8-1 | Eddie Taylor |
TKO | 4 (10) | 23 Jul 1991 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 35-8-1 | James Salerno |
UD | 10 | 11 Jun 1991 | Miami Beach, Florida, United States |
|
| Win | 34-8-1 | Tommy Richardson |
KO | 1 (?) | 20 Apr 1991 | Caesar's Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 33-8-1 | Bert Gravley |
TKO | 3 (?) | 2 Mar 1991 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Loss | 32-8-1 | Mike Hunter |
UD | 12 | 16 Mar 1990 | Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, United States |
Lost WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title. |
| Loss | 32-7-1 | Robert Daniels |
SD | 12 | 27 Nov 1989 |  Pavilion Baltard, Nogent-le-Phaye, Eure-et-Loir, France |
For vacant WBA cruiserweight title. |
| Win | 32-6-1 | Everett Martin |
UD | 10 | 22 May 1989 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 31-6-1 | Andre McCall |
UD | 12 | 18 Apr 1989 | Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States |
Won vacant WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title. |
| Win | 30-6-1 | Tyrone Booze |
PTS | 10 | 15 Feb 1989 | Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|
| Win | 29-6-1 | Olian Alexander |
TKO | 3 (10) | 23 Nov 1988 | Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|
| Loss | 28-6-1 | George Foreman |
TKO | 7 (10) | 19 Mar 1988 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
|
| Loss | 28-5-1 | Evander Holyfield |
KO | 4 (15) | 5 Dec 1987 | Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
For WBA/IBF cruiserweight titles. |
| Win | 28-4-1 | Lee Roy Murphy |
TKO | 6 (10) | 15 Aug 1987 | Saint-Tropez, Var, France |
|
| Loss | 27-4-1 |  Ossie Ocasio |
MD | 10 | 15 May 1987 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
|
| Win | 27-3-1 | Narcisco Maldonado |
TKO | 4 (10) | 6 Feb 1987 | Trump Plaza Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Loss | 26-3-1 | Evander Holyfield |
SD | 15 | 12 Jul 1986 | Trump Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
Lost WBA cruiserweight title. |
| Win | 26-2-1 | Leon Spinks |
TKO | 6 (15) | 22 Mar 1986 | Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada, United States |
Retained WBA cruiserweight title. |
| Win | 25-2-1 | Rick Enis |
KO | 1 (10) | 8 Jan 1986 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 24-2-1 |  Piet Crous |
TKO | 11 (15) | 27 Jul 1985 | Superbowl, Sun City, North-West, South Africa |
Won WBA Cruiserweight title. |
| Win | 23-2-1 | Michael Greer |
UD | 10 | 27 Feb 1985 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 22-2-1 | Stanley Ross |
UD | 10 | 12 Dec 1984 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 21-2-1 | Pat Cuillo |
UD | 10 | 21 Mar 1984 | Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 20-2-1 | Johnny Davis |
SD | 10 | 17 Sep 1983 | Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Loss | 19-2-1 | Michael Spinks |
UD | 15 | 18 Mar 1983 | Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
Lost WBC light-heavyweight title. For WBA light-heavyweight title. |
| Win | 19-1-1 | Eddie Davis |
TKO | 11 (15) | 20 Nov 1982 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
Retained WBC light-heavyweight title. |
| Win | 18-1-1 | Matthew Saad Muhammad |
TKO | 6 (15) | 7 Aug 1982 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
Retained WBC light-heavyweight title. |
| Win | 17-1-1 | Jerry Martin |
TKO | 6 (15) | 21 Mar 1982 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
Retained WBC light-heavyweight title. |
| Win | 16-1-1 | Matthew Saad Muhammad |
TKO | 10 (15) | 19 Dec 1981 | Playboy Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
Won WBC light-heavyweight title. |
| Win | 15-1-1 | James Scott |
UD | 10 | 5 Sep 1981 | Rahway State Prison, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 14-1-1 | Mike Rossman |
KO | 7 (10) | 31 May 1981 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 13-1-1 | Al Bolden |
PTS | 10 | 5 Mar 1981 | Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|
| Win | 12-1-1 | Johnny Davis |
PTS | 10 | 8 Jan 1981 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 11-1-1 | Tony Mesoraca |
TKO | 6 (10) | 6 Nov 1980 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 10-1-1 | Rick Jester |
TKO | 3 (10) | 14 Aug 1980 | International Amphitheatre, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
|
| Win | 9-1-1 | Charles Smith |
TKO | 4 (?) | 5 Jun 1980 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 8-1-1 | Leonard Langley |
TKO | 2 (8) | 8 May 1980 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 7-1-1 | Cornell Chavis |
TKO | 1 (?) | 29 Mar 1980 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 6-1-1 | Theunis Kok |
KO | 1 (10) | 4 Feb 1980 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
|
| Win | 5-1-1 | Johnny Wilburn |
UD | 8 | 14 Nov 1979 | Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
|
| Win | 4-1-1 | Donald Biff Cline |
TKO | 1 (?) | 26 Sep 1979 | Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
|
| Win | 3-1-1 | Louis Butler |
PTS | 8 | 3 Jul 1979 | Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
|
| Win | 2-1-1 | Louis Butler |
PTS | 6 | 25 May 1979 | Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
|
| Loss | 1-1-1 | Johnny Davis |
SD | 6 | 2 Nov 1978 | Audubon Ballroom, New York, New York, United States |
|
| Win | 1-0-1 | Lou Benson Jr. |
PTS | 6 | 3 Jun 1978 | Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
|
| Draw | 0-0-1 | Leonard Langley |
PTS | 6 | 19 Apr 1978 | D.C. Armory, District of Columbia, United States |
Professional debut. |
See also
 |
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Camden NJ - Dwight Braxton aka Dwight Muhammed Qawi - The Camden Buzzsaw
External links
| Preceded by | WBC Light Heavyweight Champion The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion 19 December 1981 – 18 March 1983 |
Succeeded by Michael Spinks |
| Preceded by | WBA Cruiserweight Champion July 27, 1985 – 1986 |
Succeeded by Evander Holyfield |
- Boxrec ID different in Wikidata
- 1953 births
- Living people
- African-American Muslims
- Cruiserweight boxers
- International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
- Light-heavyweight boxers
- Sportspeople from Baltimore, Maryland
- Sportspeople from Camden, New Jersey
- Boxers from Maryland
- Boxers from New Jersey
- World boxing champions
- African-American boxers
- Converts to Islam
- American male boxers
